HUMAN DEVEOPMENT REPORTS TO LAUNCH ON FRIDAY

Freetown, Sierra Leone --- Tuesday, 4 December 2007 --- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone, will launch the 2007/2008 UNDP Human Development Reports this Friday, 7 December.

The theme of the National Human Development Report (NHDR) 2007 is ‘Empowering local government for sustainable human development and poverty reduction: The district focus approach,’ while the theme for the Global Human Development Report (GHDR) 2007/2008 is ‘Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world’.

All media representatives are invited to attend the launching ceremony, which will be presided over by the President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma.

When: Friday, 7 December 2007

Time: 9am sharp

Where: Miatta Conference Centre, Yuyi Building, Freetown

Key speakers: UNDP Resident Representative; the Minister of Finance and Economic Development; the Minister of Lands, Country Planning and Environment; and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Local Government and Rural Development

Chairperson: Development Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Konah C. Koroma

The launching of the Human Development Reports will be followed by two lively discussion sessions, with expert speakers listed below.

Panel discussion on Global Human Development Report:

- Cyril Jusu, Head of Environment Division, Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and Environment

- Dr, Bashiru Koroma, Department of Environmental Studies, Njala University

- Joseph Rahal, Green Scenery Garnnel, Environmental Foundation for Africa

Panel discussion on National Human Development Report:

- Dr. Dennis Sandy, Dept of Economics, FBC

- Emmanuel Gaima, Decentralisation Secretariat

- Tennyson Williams, Action Aid Sierra Leone